Foreigners Married to Lao Citizens Now Entitled to Spouse Visa

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Foreigner Spouse Marriage Visa

The Government of Laos will now be issuing foreign spouse visas to foreigners who hold a valid Lao certificate of marriage with a Lao citizen.

Until now, the foreign spouses of Lao citizens received no special privileges or entitlements after completing the lengthy marriage process. Those who held a valid Lao certificate of marriage could remain in Laos by way of a business visa, investment visa, or tourist visa only.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a new type of visa, the SP-B3, would be issued from 1 August 2018. After this policy change, the government has quietly begun issuing a new type of visa upon request to those holding a licensed and registered marriage certificate.

 

RDK Group
RDK Group can now assist with your application for a SP-B3 Spouse Visa!

 

 
The Application Process

The application process for this visa contains a number of steps but is not overly complicated. This is divided into three parts.

Part 1:  Spouse Visa

Documents Required:

  1. A copy of the marriage certificate (1 copy)
  2. Letter of Proposal – can be obtained at the Consular Office, MOFA (1 copy)
  3. A copy of the family book or ID card of the Lao citizen (1 copy)
  4. A certificate of residence signed and sealed by the village authorities (1 copy)
  5. A copy of the passport of the foreign spouse (1 copy)

 

Procedures:

The documents listed above must be brought to the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), where officers will issue visa authorization. The authorization document must be brought to the border checkpoint specified in the letter of proposal (listed above). The fee for this is 30 USD.

 

Part 2: Stay Permit

 The documents required are:

 Documents Required:

  1. Letter of Proposal or Request to Register for a Stay Permit (the MOFA consular office will assist with this).
  2. Certificate of Residence signed and sealed by the village authorities (1 copy).
  3. A copy of the family book or ID card of the Lao citizen (1 copy).
  4. A copy of the passport of the foreign spouse (1 copy)
  5. A copy of the spouse visa (SP-B3) (1 copy)
  6. A copy of the Certificate of Marriage (1 copy)
  7. Passport photos at 3×4 size (3 photos)

 

Procedures:

The documents listed above must be brought to the Office of Foreigner Administration for processing.  The fee for the Stay Permit is 1,320,000 kip. 

 

Part 3: 1 Year Visa

After the officials have issued the Stay Permit, it will be necessary to have the visa converted to a 1 year visa.

The documents required are:

Documents Required:

  1. A copy of the marriage certificate (1 copy)
  2. A letter of proposal (1 copy)
  3. A copy of the family book or ID card of the Lao citizen (1 copy).
  4. Certificate of Residence signed and sealed by the village authorities (1 copy).
  5. A copy of the passport of the foreign spouse (1 copy)

 

Procedures:
The documents listed above must be brought to the Consular Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for processing. The fee for this is 1,320,000 kip.

 

Working Under a Spouse Visa

Those holding a spouse visa are entitled to work in the Lao PDR, and the application process is similar to that of an LA-B2 visa.  A company must sponsor an individual residing in Laos under the spouse (SP-B3) visa, in which case the Ministry of Labor will issue a work permit.

 

Foreign Marriage Certificates

The spouse visa is also available to spouses of Lao citizens who have registered their marriage overseas. In order to apply, the foreign marriage certificate must be authorized at the Treaties and Law Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

 This article supplied by RDK GROUP.

 

RDK Visa Service

14 COMMENTS

  1. The above description starts by saying that ‘The application process … is divided into two parts.’
    It goes on to detail three parts, described as ‘Part 1’ ‘Part 2’ and ‘Part 3’.
    Should it actually say ‘The application process … is divided into three parts’?
    So that, the total cost of acquiring a one-year visa is US$ 30 and LAK 2,640,000. Is this correct?
    Part 3 describes the process of acquiring a one-year visa. When that expires, one can presumably get a further one-year visa at a cost of LAK 1,320,000, which is the annual cost of renewing. Is this correct?

  2. I’m not entirely sure what the advantages are of getting one of these over the LA B2 Business Visa I have now. I have been married to my Lao wife for nearly 11 years.

    If I get one of these do I still need a B2 visa every year?

    Will the spouse visa enable me to cross into Thailand overland more than twice per year without buying an additional 1 time only visa at the Thai Embassy?

    • Hi Philip,

      If you choose to go for the spouse visa, you will receive a SP-B3 visa in your passport, and a stay permit, which will allow you to reside in Laos. This must be extended every year.

      If you want to work under this visa, you must apply for a work permit separately through the organization that hires you. In this case you’d have an SP-B3 visa, stay permit, and work permit.

      It unfortunately doesn’t allow you any extra trips to Thailand as that policy is dictated by the Thai authorities.

  3. Hello,
    I am a South African citizen of European origin.
    I hold a work permit and stay permit.Also a 1 year visa.
    I am legally married to my Wife whom is a citizen of Laos.
    We have 3 children.
    At present we renew their visiting visa on a monthly basis.
    With the restriction on entry into Thailand allowing only 2 entries per year, it has become a costly exercise.
    What type of visa can be issued to our children at this stage.
    I would appreciate a response detailing what would be required of us as parents.
    Thanking you in anticipation.
    Yours kindly,
    Bernard Overton Trollip.

  4. Sorry to be blunt but what happens if the Laos Wife dies ? Does the right to live there at the end of the year ?

    Because of the greater restrictions in Thailand my Laos partner and i are considering re-location to Laos.
    She owns land there and we’d like to build a house. While we’ve been together for a long time we aren’t married. Is there a qualification period ? Any age restrictions ?